Good governance in Africa, and more

Good governance in Africa

This year’s winner of the $5 million Mo Ibrahim prize for good governance in Africa is...nobody. The prize rewards a democratically elected leader in Africa found to have raised living standards, and to have voluntarily left office. No candidate met the criteria to win the prize, for the third year out of the last four.

BBC.com

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Childhood injuries rise

Injuries to children ages 4 and under have risen by 14 percent since 2007, with 2.5 million visits to the emergency room last year. Experts say the increase—which reverses a long decline in childhood injuries—may be caused by parents being distracted by smartphones and other devices.

The Wall Street Journal

Flying is cheaper but more crowded

In the 1970s, the average flight was about 60 percent full. Today, the average is closer to 80 percent. “That probably helps explain why the flying experience is less pleasant today than in the past,” said Mark Perry, economics professor at the University of Michigan. But flying is also far cheaper—the average 2011 airfare was 40 percent lower than the 1980 average.

WashingtonPost.com

I say “Missouree,” you say “Missouruh”

Politicians in Missouri usually alternate between pronouncing the state’s name as “Missouree” and “Missouruh.” The Missouruh pronunciation, favored in the southern part of the state and by older, conservative residents, is often used when candidates speak to rural audiences.

The New York Times

Social Security's puny increase

Social Security checks will be about 1.5 percent higher in 2013, one of the lowest cost-of-living adjustments in the program’s history. Consumer prices nudged up slightly in 2012, so the average retiree, who gets $1,237 a month, will see an increase of just about $18.

Associated Press